The selfless founder of an Airdrie charity which fills baby boxes to send to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine has paid tribute to her “amazing team and generous community” after being crowned Trailblazer of the Year at Lorraine Kelly’s Women of the Year Awards.
Jacqueline Crawford was presented with the prestigious honour by beloved Scottish TV personality Lorraine at a glittering ceremony in London.
Jacqueline had the idea of sending baby boxes - which are issued to all expectant parents in Scotland and contain essentials including a mattress allowing it to be used as a cot - to provide a safe place for refugee children to sleep as well as filling them with vital supplies.
Initially hoping to be able to fill 50 with the help of social media assistance, she was quickly “inundated” with donations and found herself trying to arrange the logistics of collection and transport as the grassroots project continues to grow at pace.
Her and the Scot Baby Box Appeal charity were given well-earned time in the spotlight at the 68th Women of the Year Awards and Cairnhill resident Jacqueline joined more than 400 other women at the bash in the Royal Lancaster London hotel.
The event was hosted by telly presenter Mel Giedroyc, with Lorraine Kelly, Clare Balding and Line Of Duty’s Vicky McClure all presenting awards to those who have achieved extraordinary things over the past year.
A proud Jacqueline told Lanarkshire Live : “I couldn’t believe it when I won the award and immediately thought of all the people in Monklands who have helped make the group what it is today.
“This is no one-woman show; the team involved with the charity are all tireless, dedicated, wonderful people, and the community have been a great help too.
“Winning the award was a bittersweet moment as on the day my phone was lighting up with reports of missile attacks in Ukraine, including in a town we’ve sent aid to.
“When I was presented with my award by Lorraine I said I wish this is something we didn’t have to do.
“I feel great pride in everything we have achieved but what has happened, and is happening, in Ukraine is horrendous.”
Jacqueline originally intended to collect items to hand to other charities but the Scot Baby Box Appeal’s Facebook page now has 7700 members – and the organisation has become a charity of its own.
The group is currently looking for a new base as it continues to be inundated with support from across the country.
Jacqueline explained: “We have had 135 locations in Scotland who have collected items for us and have sent out 10 full trucks to Ukraine.
“We had a base at Glasgow Forge in a space for a Christmas shop but that has now opened up again as we near the festive season so we’re looking for a new one.
“The focus is on helping people in and from Ukraine and most of the refugees arriving here only have the clothes on their back – and summer clothing at that.
“We really need a presence in Monklands as the Ukrainian people enjoy visiting us and helping out; it gives them a real sense of purpose.
“The charity runs all sorts of things, like helping out mums locally with smaller items, and we are currently holding a Halloween Haul asking children to donate Halloween costumes and items to get kids involved and make them feel like they are part of the response to help Ukrainian people.”
Reflecting further on her award, Jacqueline was keen to shift the focus onto the people involved in the charity’s wonderful work.
She said: “Within the community we’ve had people with garages full of stuff for us and others making soup to send out.
“People taking part in restorative justice have helped us load lorries and been a great support; taking part in something like this makes them feel like they are doing some good.
“One thing I am very proud of is when a woman who lost a baby contacted us to say she’d collected lots of Minnie Mouse items she couldn’t get rid of and heard about our appeal so decided to donate them to us.
“It was an honour to collect such a valuable set of items that meant so much to her and then see them being embraced by children in Ukraine.”
After presenting the Trailblazer Award to Jacqueline, Lorraine Kelly told the PA news agency: “Right now it is very important for women in Iran, women in Afghanistan, women who are going through horrendous ordeals, and also in Ukraine, for us to show our support and solidarity to them.
“And in the past this event has always done that, if there have been women who have really needed us.
“It is a show of strength which is very, very powerful and it is also really uplifting. It makes you want to do more and want to help more.”
To find out more about Scot Baby Box Appeal, visit here.
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